This is something your parents and driver ed teachers have been telling you for years but are you really taking their advice? Read the following article about how car manufacturers are trying to keep up with the latest trends in technology. Do you you think this is a good idea? What are some of the pros and cons to their new ideas and integrated car technology? What does your vehicle currently have factory installed and what other technology do you regularly use that is not "part" of your car?
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/09/21/smartphones-high-tech-cars-onstar/
GPS apps are always fine to have, but most everything else seems unnecessary. Being able to talk on a phone hand free seems like a good idea if you're driving.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to listen to music, you don't need an app on your phone, just bring an ipod and plug it in.
I don't have a car.
The idea to link a smart phone up to your car is a good idea, but only if it takes the drivers' eyes OFF the phone. I know that they are generally supposed to do that, but I really hate seeing people starring at their phone while driving. Texting while driving causes more deaths then drunk driving, which is pretty sad.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea is a double edged sword. I like the idea of being able to unlock and lock my car using an iPhone app using the web. But the idea of being able to browse music using steering wheel controls, I think that that is a bit dangerous. It could distract the person who is driving while they try to remember where those buttons are located at. My car doesn't have any apps in it, just a CD player. And I barely use that. I bring my iPod and use a connection cable to play my music through the speakers.
ReplyDeleteAdding phone accessibility to a car, sounds like a bad idea, they tell you not to drive while talking on the phone, because its distracting. It makes no difference whether the phone is on your ear on playing through your speakers. some people just cant' do two things at once. The addition of apps only compound the problem.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kyle that much of all of this is unnecessary, I mean, how much of these things actually make our lives more productive and not less?
ReplyDeleteI think it's an okay idea. I know I enjoyed driving my grandma's car because I could plug my iPod into it and listen to my music through the car. I guess a couple cons would be all the distractions, the cost that the cars will eventually be, and giving other people free wi-fi through your car. A pro is the fact that it will be more hands free, and who doesn't like having all the little gizmos and gadgets to play with? My little bug doesn't have any extra doo-dads, but I love using my mom's XM radio and my grandma's iPod plug-inner thingy. And I use a radio transmitter for my iPod in my bug all the time.
ReplyDeleteI think it is not really necessary for them to do it, but it is handy to have available. I think that being able to have everything read aloud to you and voice commands help to keep drivers eyes on the road better, so I like that aspect. The con is that their mind is not focused on driving, they are still thinking about what they need to be saying and doing. My vehicle has a sirius radio and six disc changer installed and I also have an adapter for my ipod and cell phone that I use all the time.
ReplyDeleteI do not think this is a good idea for car manufacturers. People don't need to be posting things on facebook or twitter while driving I just think that is unnecessary. Some pros would be that you can do a lot of different things from your phone hands free while driving. And some cons would be it would distract the driver even more knowing that the driver can do more things while driving down the road. My car doesn't have anything installed in it. I will sometimes use a GPS if I am in a different city that I do not know very well.
ReplyDeleteI think that all the new technology being put into cars is a good thing. With the Gps and the hands free calling and texting it allows drivers to pay more attention to the road instead of taking their hands off the wheel to look at their phone. At the same time with all the new technology and apps that they are trying to put into the cars it might be too much for some people to handle so it might distract them even more. My car does not have any new technology in it.
ReplyDeleteSome of the ideas sound cool, like being able to unlock/lock your car with your smartphone, and adding wi-fi to cars. Things like that would be useful. But as the article mentions, all these features being added to vehicles can cause a driving hazard. In my car I have an "iTrip" which plugs into the cigarrete lighter and play music off my mp3 player.
ReplyDeleteI think these trends are great. Anything that keeps the drivers attention on the road is a major plus. We all know how dangerous texting while driving can be, so the systems that read your text messages aloud is a great feature. The voice command features are also a plus as they prevent you from looking down at the radio, iPod, etc.
ReplyDeleteI don't see many cons for these systems. The idea is to keep the car's tech up to date while keeping the drivers eyes on the road.
My car is from 1993 so it has a bumpin' Infinity Sound System. The only technologies that I use that aren't part of the car are my Tom-Tom and FM Transmitter for my iPod.
i agree with kolby on the whole facebook thing i think that is a little much because a person can wait until they get to where they are going to do that they do not need to be doing it while driving.
ReplyDeleteI believe that some of the technology is good. A GPS app to get around, onstar to call paramedics in an emergency, things like that. But I don't believe that we really need to be checking our facebook while we are driving. There has been tech in the last twenty years even that make it so you don't have to listen to the radio stations where you are at the mercy of the dj. Plug in the ipod and go.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it's not that the person is too busy staring at the phone. Some people just cannot do two things at once and when they are behind the wheel of a car, they shouldn't be distracted by the phone, or checking their email/Facebook. While most people that know they cannot do this don't do it, there are still those people that try to prove that they can multi-task.
My vehicle is very limited in the tech department, with the most sophisticated thing being the cd player, followed by the heated seats. I use a plug-in for my ipod and blue tooth headset when i need to talk on the phone.
I agree-ish with Jeff. Phones are very distracting while driving, I should know. But the fact is, people don't care. They will play on their phones if and when they want to. I think that having it on the radio would be better than having to look down and read it off of your phone.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good idea to be able to link your phone to your car so that you can use your phone hands free. There are good and bad things about this but there's no such thing as a perfect driver so anything could distract someone while driving.
ReplyDeleteI do think these are good ideas for the future. If people are going to text while driving, it is good to have the whole set up hands free. Yes there is still the distraction part of it but people will do what they want, no matter what the law is. If they are able to do it with less distractions I think it will be better for the other drivers on the road and everyone's safety overall.
ReplyDeletePros:
Hands free
Apps for easy access to information
Staying updated with technology
Internet in a car is a great advancement
Installing a streamline system is good because if the people get new phones or they change they won't have to get all new hook-ups or hands free equipment. It will be built in.
Having controls/ buttons on the steering wheel is better than on CD player because of having to look farther down than the wheel.
Apps to control locks/ automatic car starting is VERY convenient.
Cons:
Trying to figure the system out. Some people may not try to learn how the system works before driving. DANGEROUS!
The drivers are still being distracted.
I have a '97 so my car doesn't contain many high tech things. It has a CD player and tells me when to change my oil.
I agree with what Stephen said about the link to the smart phone and being able to take your eyes off them. If that doesn't happen, then it's a bad idea.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kyle, but I think all options are nice. I thought Kolby's statement was good I agree with it, we had similar ideas. I have to agree with Mollie because it could be dangerous to have all these options available, but it is better than a person looking at their cell phone and driving.
ReplyDeleteMost of these things can be good, for example the alpine and pioneer plays music that is from pandora from your smartphone, the gps in a car can help a lot of people when they are on the road. When you can unlock your vehicle without being near it with your phone is pretty cool. Some of the cons with all these gadgets in your ride is that you might be trying to figure out what they all do while you are driving so your eyes aren't on the road. This could lead to more accidents. My truck doesn't have anything in it too advanced.
ReplyDeletei agree with max, it is a great that the car manufactures are trying to keep the cars up to date with all the new technology that is constantly being created.
ReplyDeleteJeff's right on, some people just can NOT multitask, and on the road that can cost lives.
ReplyDeleteLike Bill said, the ability to lock/unlock your car from a phone would be super handy to have. And yeah, they can be a distraction on the road, but I think that with all the stuff we have. We don't really need to worry about adding more things, I think we're already as distracted out as we can be.
ReplyDelete@ Stephan
ReplyDeleteI agree with you because these gadgets need to keeps drivers eyes on the road
I think that some of these ideas are helpful, a more effective voice command, being able to use your phone as an integrated navigation system, and streaming music from Pandora are a nice addition. I also think that having apps such as facebook involved in your driving is a terrible idea. There is no reason for it.
ReplyDeleteThere are many pros to this advancement in technology, having helpful apps such as navigation could be quite beneficial, yet having facebook or several other apps may be to much of a distraction for drivers. I have an 04 Durango, so i have some technology but no where near what the newest vehicles out on the market have.
I don't like the idea of having a car that can drive it self or park its self. I do like the idea of having a car phone or the chance of using your own cell phone to hook up to your car and tell it what to do like tell it to call this # or deal this #, also tell it to text this message and send, and to receive calls and tell it to answer, also receive text message and read them back to you. I also like the idea of having a computer system in my car or truck that's a great idea. I would rather use my own GPS portable navigation system then the built in one from the company. My vehicles don't have any fancy toys to play with. When it comes to navigation i use a map and bring my own GPS and hook it to the lighter does a great job.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jeff on that some people can not do two things at once.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bill, the options can seem useful but distracting. I agree with Kolby about facebook and twitter.
ReplyDelete@ Max
ReplyDeleteI agree that its great for car manufacturers to be keeping up with evolving technology, but i think there's a limit to how much you can have happening at once before your distracted, even if your cars reading it for you.
@ Royale
ReplyDeleteI agree that ultimately anything can be a distraction to a drier from kids to a simple conversation with someone in the car.
@ TylerStevenson2
I agree that apps seem somewhat unnecessary. But they article didn't really give us insight into how these apps might actually function.
I do agree with Kyle, GPS is one thing that would be useful.
ReplyDelete@ Siera
ReplyDeleteI agree with your cons, learning to do these things while driving or before driving could make for a really bad learning experience.
I would also have to agree with Jeff on the "some people can't do two things at once comment." I would happen to be one of those people.
ReplyDeleteI like their change in tactics. To be able to keep up with technology through smartphones is pretty slick. However, there are those that do not have smartphones so it would be pointless to them, even though everyone will probably end up having a smartphone. Most probably.
ReplyDeleteI do like the fact the article brought up the safety issues. From what I see every day, there are REALLY stupid drivers. This might be something too much people. Maybe they should have to test before they are allowed to buy the vehicle, they way some elders should retake a driver's license test.
It is good for long term trips with less traffic confusion. It would not be so wise to use in cities. It is also good for paying attention more to the road than the technology if it doesn't become something to play with like new toys to kids.
I do not have a new car or even fairly new car. The most it has is a cassette player, which leads to my ipod and phone: I hook them up so I can listen to what I want which can be distracting.
I agree with Royale having hands free usage of your phone will benefit any driver, and pretty much anything can distract a driver.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Tyler because being able have the car read your texts out loud will keep more eyes on the road. And there will be less cars running into snow banks!
I disagree with Kolby, Tyler, and Lindsay. I think if people are driving hours for jobs and what not being able to access facebook while on the road would be a good tool, especially if they use facebook for their business. Facebook would also be at easier access on bus road trips to the middle of no-where if it were accessible by cars.
ReplyDeleteFacebook in the car is not a good idea, keep it on the phone and computer where it belongs, if someone needs to access their facebook that bad, either for work or fun, pull over and do it there.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sam about there always being stupid drivers on the road! and technology is not for everyone everywhere...Being able to distinguish is going to be a problem.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Kolby. I don't think that Facebook is important enough to have an app for in the car. If a person can't wait till they get home to log onto Facebook and post, then something is wrong.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with Kyle on the GPS apps. They would be pretty convienent.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kyle that most apps are not really needed except the GPS.
ReplyDeleteI like Regina's comment, though, how it is fun to have more gadgets, but I think it is more fun when you're not the driver. I have messed around with my grandma's truck's buttons. :)
I definately agree with Lindsy H's comment about people trying to prove they can multitask. There just stupid people out there. She mentions that people know they shouldn't. I agree that driver's should.
Again, I think the new technology is more for those not driving and are bored on a trip.
I agree with Dustan,Lindsay and Siera when it comes to hands free car and cell phone systems used when driving. I feel alot more safer on the road with a system like that.
ReplyDeleteIn some instances this can be an excellent idea, having your car tell you where you are or finding directions to the gas station. In the future your car may get you home while your tired, an overflow of information may clutter your ability to drive. My car has a cassette player and a radio tuner. I use my phone to navigate me through things
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mollie, some of these features cannot be safe at all. I also agree with Jeff in that accessing your Facebook while driving cannot be a good thing. I disagree with Siera because while I understand that if it's an essential part of your business; if it is that important that you check on it, pull over either to the side of the road or check it when you pull into a gas station.
ReplyDeleteI basically agree with Royale. It's a good idea to be able to link your phone to your car. So that you can use your phone hands free without being distracted while driving so it would be a good thing for some people. There are good and bad things about this topic but there's no such thing as a perfect driver. Anyone in the driving could get distracted by loud music or an animal on the street or something that could make you not focus you know.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think this could be a good idea. It would help people to stay looking at the road and paying attention if this technology is hands fee, but at the same time if you are talking to or commanding your phone your not completely paying attention. My car currently has no technology in it, but other things I sometimes use are gps, my ipod, or my phone while driving.
ReplyDeleteI think that adding more technology to cars can be good and bad.Technology is meant to help us everyday and i think that if you add it to automobils drivers will become distracted and become too busy to pay attention to the road. I don't find it necessary to be able to get wireless internet in your car. Maybe for the passengers use but not the driver's. On the good side vehicles that are able to read texts messages out loud could also help drivers keep hands on the wheel and hopefully eyes as well. I also thought that being able to get radio stations off the internet would be nice since there aren't always good ones where you live.
ReplyDeleteMy car has a cd player and thats about it for any different technology, i don't really mind though because when I'm driving i plug my ipod in and its all good. I don't feel the need to check my email or facebook until I get to my destination.
@ kolby
ReplyDeleteI agree that posting things on twitter or facebook is unnecessary while driving.
@ tyler
I agree that with so many new apps and technology being put into cars, people might not be able to handle having them all and become more distracted.
I agree with Jeff and Sam. Facebook and computers should be left at home or off the road. They are not necessary to drive.
ReplyDeleteSam made a good point as well. Smart phone apps are cool for the car to have but if you don't have a smartphone what use are they to you? It almost makes you have to buy a certain type of phone when you own these vehicles
There are some definite pros and cons to this technology. It would help to make sure that drivers are keeping their eyes on the road instead of trying to read a text message or browse the internet. The obvious con is that people can only function with a certain number of things going on and will this push them over the edge?
ReplyDeletePersonally I don't care for this function because as a mother I usually have kids in my vehicle with me. I do not want or need them hearing what other adult friends might be saying to me in a text message. There may be anything from cussing to an idea for a surprise for a kid. If I am being read my text messages they are going to hear them too so I would not use that option. I also don't know if it's such a good idea for this to be an option period because of how much our world is relying more and more on technology. Facebook is not that important, receiving or responding to a text should not take precedence to anything else.
My van has a CD player and stereo and will tell me the temperature outside and what direction I am going. Otherwise, I do not have OnStar or any other sort of advance technology. I do, however, use portable DVD players for my kids but ONLY for trips that take awhile to reach our destination. Otherwise, I think my kids can find other ways to entertain themselves. They watch too much TV as it is.